Is there a reason that almost every TOC gives out complimentary copies
of The Times in First class, rather than any other paper?
(I'm not complaining, I like The Times)

Joe Patrick wrote:

> Is there a reason that almost every TOC gives out complimentary copies
> of The Times in First class, rather than any other paper?
> (I'm not complaining, I like The Times)



    I'll guess that Times Newspapers Ltd. gives the TOCs free copies of
The Times to get it into the hands of those "Top People" who travel
First Class, in the hope that they will buy it on the days when they're
not travelling by train.  Or, if the TOCs don't get it free, they'll
surely get their copies at a very heavily discounted price.
    It's not beyond the bounds of possibility that TNL *pay* the TOC's
to distribute their paper (and only their paper) in that way: it will 
help the circulation figures that they put before potential advertisers.

-- 
DB.
..

"DB."  wrote in message
news:8iJJe.3914$jv2.1703@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...

> Joe Patrick wrote:
> > Is there a reason that almost every TOC gives out complimentary copies
> > of The Times in First class, rather than any other paper?
> > (I'm not complaining, I like The Times)
>
>
>     I'll guess that Times Newspapers Ltd. gives the TOCs free copies of
> The Times to get it into the hands of those "Top People" who travel
> First Class, in the hope that they will buy it on the days when they're
> not travelling by train.  Or, if the TOCs don't get it free, they'll
> surely get their copies at a very heavily discounted price.
>     It's not beyond the bounds of possibility that TNL *pay* the TOC's
> to distribute their paper (and only their paper) in that way: it will
> help the circulation figures that they put before potential advertisers.
>

The Audit Bureau of Circulations reports full-rate sales, so potential
advertisers know how much of the circulation is paid for, and how much given
away.

I suspect TOCs might prefer The Times to some of its competitors, as
there'll be some of their passengers whose blood boils at the sight of, say,
The Grauniad, and others whose blood boils at the sight of the Torygraph.
IMHO The Times does not engender such negative feelings to the same extent.

Peter

On Mon, 8 Aug 2005, Joe Patrick  wrote:

>Is there a reason that almost every TOC gives out complimentary copies
>of The Times in First class, rather than any other paper?
>(I'm not complaining, I like The Times)


ISTR GNER used to supply the Torygraph, but changed to The Times a while 
back.
-- 
Howard

Howard Fisher wrote:

> On Mon, 8 Aug 2005, Joe Patrick  wrote:
> >Is there a reason that almost every TOC gives out complimentary copies
> >of The Times in First class, rather than any other paper?
> >(I'm not complaining, I like The Times)
>
> ISTR GNER used to supply the Torygraph, but changed to The Times a while
> back.


That tallies with my recollection, too.

GNER also supply the London Evening Standard on evening services out of
KX.

In the past I've had unusual newspapers (for Yorkshire) such as
Scottish ones on Virgin Voyagers which have commenced their journey at
Edinburgh or further north, certainly at weekends - I'm not sure about
midweek.


-- 
Regards

Mike

On Mon, 8 Aug 2005, Mike Roebuck  wrote:

>GNER also supply the London Evening Standard on evening services out of
>KX.

But not always today's copy. I remember a time a while ago when the news 
I was reading was getting increasingly familiar until I checked the date 
and found they were giving out the previous day's copies!
-- 
Howard

On Mon, 8 Aug 2005 18:13:58 +0100, Howard Fisher
 wrote:


>On Mon, 8 Aug 2005, Mike Roebuck  wrote:
>>GNER also supply the London Evening Standard on evening services out of
>>KX.
>But not always today's copy. I remember a time a while ago when the news 
>I was reading was getting increasingly familiar until I checked the date 
>and found they were giving out the previous day's copies!


LOL:-)

Hasn't happened to me yet though.

-- 
 
Regards

Mike

mikedotroebuckatgmxdotnet

Howard Fisher  wrote:


>On Mon, 8 Aug 2005, Mike Roebuck  wrote:
>>GNER also supply the London Evening Standard on evening services out of
>>KX.
>But not always today's copy. I remember a time a while ago when the news 
>I was reading was getting increasingly familiar until I checked the date 
>and found they were giving out the previous day's copies!



Did that particular issue include an article about Groundhog Day?

;-)

Joe Patrick wrote:

> Is there a reason that almost every TOC gives out complimentary copies
> of The Times in First class, rather than any other paper?
> (I'm not complaining, I like The Times)


Simple answer, most others pulled out of the bulk supply market to
airlines, hotels and train operators. FGW used to supply the Telegraph
but at short notice changed to the Times, the London Evening Standard
remained unchanged.

> Simple answer, most others pulled out of the bulk supply market to
> airlines, hotels and train operators. FGW used to supply the Telegraph
> but at short notice changed to the Times, the London Evening Standard
> remained unchanged.


That makes sense! Thanks to everyone who replied.
Well if it is about marketing, it has certaintly worked, I've been
buying The Times every day the past fortnight!

On 9 Aug 2005 04:21:06 -0700, "Joe Patrick"
 wrote:


>That makes sense! Thanks to everyone who replied.
>Well if it is about marketing, it has certaintly worked, I've been
>buying The Times every day the past fortnight!


I did until I was introduced to the Independent.  Same idea, but
without the Murdoch.

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

Joe Patrick wrote:

> Is there a reason that almost every TOC gives out complimentary copies
> of The Times in First class, rather than any other paper?
> (I'm not complaining, I like The Times)


The Times is read by the people who run the country.

The Daily Mail is read by people who think they should be running the
country.

The Guardian is read by people who think another country should be
running the country.

The Telegraph is read by people who think it already is and...

the Sun is read by people who don't care who runs the country so long
as they've got big tits.

allan tracy wrote:

>The Daily Mail is read by people who think they should be running the
>country.
>
>The Guardian is read by people who think another country should be
>running the country.


If you're going to quote something, it would be better if you did so
accurately:

"The Times is read by the people who run the country. The Daily Mirror
is read by the people who think they run the country. The Guardian is
read by the people who think they ought to run the country. The
Morning Star is read by the people who think the country ought to be
run by another country. The Independent is read by people who don't
know who runs the country but are sure they're doing it wrong. The
Daily Mail is read by the wives of people who run the country. The
Financial Times is read by the people who own the country. The Daily
Express is read by the people who think the country ought to be run as
it used to be run. The Daily Telegraph is read by the people who still
think it is their country. And the Sun's readers don't care who runs
the country providing she has big tits."

Yes, Prime Minister: A Conflict of Interest.

-- 
Neil Sunderland
Braunton, Devon

Please observe the Reply-To address

Neil Sunderland wrote:

> allan tracy wrote:
> >The Daily Mail is read by people who think they should be running the
> >country.
> >
> >The Guardian is read by people who think another country should be
> >running the country.
>
> If you're going to quote something, it would be better if you did so
> accurately:
>
> "The Times is read by the people who run the country. The Daily Mirror
> is read by the people who think they run the country. The Guardian is
> read by the people who think they ought to run the country. The
> Morning Star is read by the people who think the country ought to be
> run by another country. The Independent is read by people who don't
> know who runs the country but are sure they're doing it wrong. The
> Daily Mail is read by the wives of people who run the country. The
> Financial Times is read by the people who own the country. The Daily
> Express is read by the people who think the country ought to be run as
> it used to be run. The Daily Telegraph is read by the people who still
> think it is their country. And the Sun's readers don't care who runs
> the country providing she has big tits."
>
> Yes, Prime Minister: A Conflict of Interest.
>
> --
> Neil Sunderland
> Braunton, Devon
>
> Please observe the Reply-To address


Give that man a coconut.

Actually, I wasn't quoting Yes Prime Minister as the writers lifted
that sketch straight out of an an earlier Dave Allen TV series.

His version was somewhat shorter, but the same basic idea, and yes I
have probably quoted him inaccurately as well.

The original sketch predated The Independent and the phrase "they've
got big tits" was definitely preferred to "she has big tits".


A Titspotter.

allan tracy wrote:

>Give that man a coconut.
>
>Actually, I wasn't quoting Yes Prime Minister as the writers lifted
>that sketch straight out of an an earlier Dave Allen TV series.


You'll be glad to know that I can't find any references to it in
Google, so I can't prove you wrong!

Now, what am I supposed to do with the coconut?  :-)

-- 
Neil Sunderland
Braunton, Devon

Please observe the Reply-To address

"allan tracy"  wrote in message
news:1123612735.068092.203540@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...

>
> Joe Patrick wrote:
> > Is there a reason that almost every TOC gives out complimentary copies
> > of The Times in First class, rather than any other paper?
> > (I'm not complaining, I like The Times)
>
> The Times is read by the people who run the country.
>
> The Daily Mail is read by people who think they should be running the
> country.
>
> The Guardian is read by people who think another country should be
> running the country.
>
> The Telegraph is read by people who think it already is and...
>
> the Sun is read by people who don't care who runs the country so long
> as they've got big tits.


As stated by Sir Humphrey in Yes Minister - well remembered!

TM

Tony Miles wrote:

>As stated by Sir Humphrey in Yes Minister


It was actually "Yes, Prime Minister", and IIRC (although I'd have to
dig the tape out to check...) it was Bernard Woolley who said it in
the TV series - in the book it's a note by Jim Hacker which was "found
in Number Ten Downing Street shortly after Hacker's eventual
departure."


> - well remembered!


*polite cough*

-- 
Neil Sunderland
Braunton, Devon

Please observe the Reply-To address

In article ,
allan tracy  wrote:

>
>Joe Patrick wrote:
>> Is there a reason that almost every TOC gives out complimentary copies
>> of The Times in First class, rather than any other paper?
>> (I'm not complaining, I like The Times)
>
>The Times is read by the people who run the country.


I'd have thought they'd supply, for business passengers, the Financial
Times, which is read by the people who own the country ...

Nick (IME it also has a far more impartial news section than the Times)
-- 
http://www.leverton.org/                      ... So express yourself